BRANDEIS MEN BREEZE PAST UMASS-DARTMOUTH, 91-62

WALTHAM, Mass. - The host Brandeis University men's basketball
team forced a season-high 20 turnovers and shot 56 percent from the
floor (32-57) as the host Judges soundly defeated visiting
UMass-Dartmouth, 91-62, in Auerbach Arena. The win is
BrandeisBs fifth straight, their longest winning streak since
the 1994-95 season.

Brandeis (6-2) trailed only once in the game, at the 16:52 mark
of the first. UMass-Dartmouth (3-3) hit three straight baskets, two
by senior guard Joe Britto (New Bedford, Mass.) to take a 6-5
lead.

The Judges answered with a 22-6 run over the next seven minutes
to take a 27-11 lead midway through the period. The run was sparked
by an offensive rebound from senior Bryan Lambert (Auburn, Maine)
that was followed up by three straight 3-pointers, two by rookie
Rocco Toppi (Portland, Maine) and one from senior Omri Ayalon
(Potsdam, N.Y.).

Brandeis led by as many as 21 in the first and took a 48-28 lead
into halftime by hitting on 50 percent from beyond the arc (7-14)
while the Corsairs were just three-of-13 (23 percent).
UMass-Darmouth never got closer than 17 points in the second half,
while Brandeis led by as many as 33 before finishing with the
29-point margin.

The Judges placed three players in double figures for the sixth
time in eight games this season. Rookie guard Florian Rexhepi
(Skopje, Macedonia) led the way for the third game in a row with a
career-high 23 points off the bench. He hit eight-of-11 from the
floor with one 3-pointer and was a perfect six-of-six from the
line. He also had four rebounds, four assists and two steals. Toppi
and Lambert also reached double figures. Toppi hit six-of-nine
overall and five-of-seven from range for 17 points, while Lambert
had 16 points and a team-high eight rebounds, tied for game-high
honors. Rookie Kwame Graves-Fulgham (Amherst, Mass.) added eight
assists, the third time this season he has reached that plateau,
while making just two turnovers.

UMass-Dartmouth also had three players in double figures, led by
13 each from senior center Chris Lapriore (Grafton, Mass.) and
sophomore forward Paul Pawlowski (Taunton, Mass.). Lapriore hit
six-of-nine from the floor and matched Lambert for game-high
rebounding honors with eight, while Pawlowski added six caroms.
Britto was the Corsairs' third double-figure scorer with 12 points,
while added six boards as well.

Brandeis closes out its first semester schedule on Saturday at 7
p.m. when they travel to North Carolina to take on Division I
Davidson College.